1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to 3D stereo vision goggles or other platforms, that can be used for enhanced vision systems for use with endoscopic surgery, robotic assist surgery, open surgery, and surgical microscopes; as visual aids for patients with medical conditions such as Macular Degeneration; and for business and entertainment applications for which a 3D stereo vision display would be desirable
2. Description of the Related Art
Today a surgeon has several types of vision enhancing tools to choose from in treating his patient. The main visual tools presently in use are; remote 3D vision used with robotic assist systems, eye loops used with open surgery, endoscopic cameras, and 2D and 3D cameras used with surgical microscopes. All of the visual tools have been built to improve the surgeon's sight primarily through magnification.
In one example, robotic assist surgery uses a four arm robotic system to hold endoscopic tools. The surgeon performs the surgery by sitting at a remote console where he controls the robotic arms that are holding the endoscopic tools and camera. The robotic assist system uses a 3D endoscopic camera where the camera images are displayed on two high-resolution, high-definition flat screen displays. The surgeon views the two displays through two wide angle lenses. The surgeon can see the operation with depth perception and reasonable resolution, but a fairly narrow field-of-view. Moreover, the surgeon must keep his head at a specific location and remain motionless in order to keep the stereo image in full display.
In open surgery, magnifying glasses called eye loops are routinely used. The magnification is good and so is the resolution, but the field-of-view is narrow and there is a proportional relationship between head motion and magnification.
In endoscopic surgery, the endoscope allows the surgeon to operate on a patient by making small incisions and inserting long thin tools used to conduct the operation with one hand, then inserting a long thin tool with a miniature camera at the end and holding it with the other hand. The surgeon coordinates the movement of the tools by viewing the operation on flat panel display. Endoscopy requires the surgeon to generally look at a flat screen monitor that is 2D and typically not at the optimal position. For example, the monitor is placed to the side such that the surgeon performs the surgery with his head turned to the side. This is unnatural compared to looking down at your hands as is done during normal open surgery.
Specialized stereo microscopes have been developed that allow surgical procedures to be performed using a highly magnified image with depth perception, but just as with the robotic assist stereo display the surgeon must keep his head fixed peering into the microscope's eyepieces.
Even though these tools have been developed to extend the surgeon's unaided eye, there still remain some common problems with all of these systems. All four visual tools have an excellent rating on one, and sometimes two of several visual parameters—such as, acuity, magnification, field-of-view, depth perception, focusing (manual or automatic), contrast ratio, cost, and ergonomics—that are typically used to characterize and compare surgical vision systems' visual parameters. For example, a stereo 3D vision system used with a microscope magnifies an object and provides depth, and acuity is good, but the field-of-view is very narrow, the initial system is expensive, and the ergonomics are poor. The ergonomic parameter is related to how natural or unnatural your body position is when using the tool, and is generally a measure of comfort. Architectures for new devices that can extend one or more visual parameters while maintaining the remaining parameters at a level equivalent to the unaided eye has proven to be elusive. A new architecture is required for medical vision systems that optimize all visual parameters.
Although the description below focuses on the application of this invention in medical surgery, it is equally valid to apply it as a vision aid for people with retinal degradation or other visual deformities. For instance, the goggles or other embodiments of the invention described herein could be used by patients with Macular Degeneration. The invention could also be used for business and entertainment uses as discussed below.